2023 NBA Draft Thread

[jayu70]

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[Jamaaliver]

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Bold Prediction:

If Hawks were to acquire Ben Sheppard this summer, he'd be a starter for this team by January.

He's good enough to start, just needs some NBA caliber coaching and a training program to handle the rigors of NBA players for 82+ games a year.

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[Jamaaliver]

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Tristan Vukčević| 6-11 center | Partizan | Ranking: No. 53

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Vukčević made shots at the combine, and that’s going to get you noticed. In the first game, Vukčević was 8-of-10 from the field, including 3-of-3 from 3. He was the most efficient offensive player in the first day of scrimmages and decided to sit out the second day after putting up such a performance.

This is definitely the kind of positive momentum Vukčević needed. He’s mostly been in the rotation of EuroLeague power Partizan’s games in the Adriatic League this year, posting solid 58/40/81 shooting splits in limited shots. A few scouts mentioned to me that they have some worries about his overall movement skills and whether he’ll be able to slide his feet enough to defend on the perimeter or anchor his spot enough to consistently hold his ground at the center position. He was a bit of a mixed bag in that regard defensively even in his standout combine performance. The good news is that he came in at 6-11 1/4 without shoes, so he’ll be a 7-footer with shoes on with a 9-3 standing reach. That puts him in strong company as a potential floor-spacing center.

I’d bet Vukčević ends up being a priority stash candidate in the second round this year. Teams with multiple picks in the second round like Charlotte (the Hornets have Nos. 34, 39 and 41) make a lot of sense. I don’t think he has done enough to climb into the first, but if you don’t have an available roster spot, he’ll be one of the best options.

[Jamaaliver]

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[Jamaaliver]

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[HMFFL]

NBA Combine Player Numbers

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/2023-nba-draft-combine-measurements-results-purdues-zach-edey-stands-tall-with-victor-wembanyama-in-france/

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[Jamaaliver]

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[Jamaaliver]

Hardest working man in the NBA Draft.

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[Jamaaliver]

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[atlantabbq99]

We are officially a week out of the draft...

The 2023 draft is so weak, I want the Hawks to trade the pick for a win now vet to help the team go from #8 to #4 or trade down to get multiple picks like with the Pacers at #26, #29, #31. Since the talent from #4 to #50 is basically the same, might as well get multiple picks.

With that said, if the Hawks stay at 15, here are the four guys to target...

Brice Sensabaugh - Hands down the best shooter in the draft. reminds me of Julius Randle in 2021 when he was shooting 40% from three

Jordan Hawkins - 2nd best shooter in the draft. He might not be another Booker or Murry, but could be some where in between Huerter and Herro

Trayce Jackson Davis - Two way PF with no real weaknesses, reminds me of Bobby Portis or Alan Henderson

Cason Wallace - Best defensive player in the draft, but unlike some past defensive players like Thybulle or GP2, Cason doesn't have a broken jumpshot and on the NBA level could maybe give you 33% from three and 75% from the free throw line.

[dms269]

Cason Wallace - Best defensive player in the draft, but unlike some past defensive players like Thybulle or GP2, Cason doesn't have a broken jumpshot and on the NBA level could maybe give you 33% from three and 75% from the free throw line.

Pretty sure it is believed that Wallace has a lotto-promise, likely at either 8 or 13.

[atlantabbq99]

Cason Wallace - Best defensive player in the draft, but unlike some past defensive players like Thybulle or GP2, Cason doesn't have a broken jumpshot and on the NBA level could maybe give you 33% from three and 75% from the free throw line.

Pretty sure it is believed that Wallace has a lotto-promise, likely at either 8 or 13.

No problem, like i said above, the talent from #4 to #50 is basically the same. With the exception of Wemby, I can see this draft being similar to the 1986 draft

[atlantabbq99]

An interesting guy in the 2nd round would be Tristan Vukcevic. On tape he looks ok, but the interesting thing about him is that he train with Jokic in the off season.

[Jamaaliver]

I'd make a serious run at any of these top picks.

Portland and Dallas seem most probable trade partners.

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[Jamaaliver]

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[atlantabbq99]

I'd make a serious run at any of these top picks.

Portland and Dallas seem most probable trade partners.

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Like i've been saying...... 2023 is a very very weak draft.

This reminds me of the 2012 draft when every body was trying to trade away their lottery pick except for the Pelicans because nobody wanted MKG, Waiters, Robinson, Ross, Barnes, Drummond, Rivers, Meyers Leonard..... Beal and Lillard were the only gems

[Jamaaliver]

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[Jamaaliver]

This is my preferred draft target:

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[Jamaaliver]

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[Jamaaliver]

2023 NBA Draft Sleepers and Steals

Jordan Hawkins, SG, Connecticut

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Spoiler:

Jordan Hawkins should be a lottery lock and has a bankable, valuable skill that arguably deserves consideration in the top 10. Yet, due to some concerns about limited creation, so-so athleticism and no playmaking to speak of, most mocks would lead you to believe he's not even guaranteed to go in the top 20.

It would be a massive mistake to let him fall that far.

If he isn't the best shooter in this class, he's at least in that discussion, and he's a splash threat all over the floor. His catch-and-fire game is absurdly potent, but he can also launch on the move or skate around overzealous closeouts with one- or two-dribble sidestep threes. His off-ball activity and the mere threat of his perimeter proficiency is enough to bend defensive attention his direction.

The 21-year-old not only knocked in 38.8 percent of his long-range looks this past season, he did so on tremendous volume (15.1 attempts per 100 possessions). He also converted 125 free throws at an 88.7 percent clip. So, in case his picturesque, lightning-quick, repeatable shooting form wasn't enough to sway you, the numbers align perfectly with the eye test.

Given the perpetually increasing importance of outside shots, you'd think scouts would be drooling over Hawkins by now. Especially since he's not just a specialist. He's a threat in transition. He can finish at the basket when he eyes an attack lane. He moves off the ball quickly when his shots aren't there. He is active on the glass and gives good effort on defense.

Hawkins may not be a budding star, but it's easy to envision him spending a decade-plus in this league as either a solid starter or an instant-impact spark plug. For teams that aren't swinging for the fences and are instead trying to build out their roster, he should get more attention as a very-unlikely-to-miss prospect.

Ben Sheppard, SG, Belmont

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Spoiler:

Among the prospects listed here, Ben Sheppard probably comes closest to fitting the traditional definition of a draft sleeper.

He spent his four college seasons at Belmont and never made the NCAA tournament, so he never hit the radar of casual fans. He doesn't have standout physical tools (6'5" with a 6'7" wingspan), is quickly approaching his 22nd birthday and lacked the jaw-dropping stats you might expect to see from an NBA prospect at a small school (career-high 18.8 points this past season).

Still, the scouting world is waking up to Sheppard, thanks in no small part to a combine performance that buzzed like an alarm clock. He tallied 35 points in two scrimmage games, routinely flashing some of the best decision-making on the court and appearing a step ahead of everyone.

His draft buzz still isn't where it should be, though. He is an ignitable outside shooter (80 threes on 41.5 percent shooting this season) who can make passes on the move or score off of dribble pull-ups. He is an active, attentive defender both on and off the ball, and he can turn steals into scoring chances with hit-ahead passes and fast processing.

He's a hair short of true-wing size, but he basically plays like a three-and-D wing who can drive, dish, run pick-and-rolls and convert in-between chances with runners and floaters.

There are roughly 30 teams who could use a player like Sheppard on the perimeter, and his feel and polish should let him step into a rotation role right away.

Dariq Whitehead, SG/SF, Duke

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Spoiler:

Just one year back, Dariq Whitehead featured prominently in all of the recruiting rankings for the 2022 class. He slotted second overall on both 247Sports and ESPN.

Fast-forward to the present, and you'll now find the 18-year-old hovering somewhere in the latter half of the opening round on most mocks. So, what happened?

Well, he suffered a foot fracture that delayed the start of his college career and recently sent him back under the knife. When he played, he fell short of expectations with his creation and explosion, though he did stripe 42.9 percent of his three-balls and hinted at intriguing potential as a three-and-D wing.

What about all of the above gives him sleeper appeal? Well, the hope is he can maintain the strides he's made as a shot-maker while getting healthy enough to bring back the shot-creation and explosion that made him such a highly touted prospect.

"High-school tape shows more flashes of self-creation and athleticism than we saw this year from a player who was clearly limited by his foot and role," B/R's Jonathan Wasserman wrote.

Whitehead's foot problems will scare off some suitors, but others will see bargain potential. Had he been healthy enough to handle a featured role out of the gate at Duke, he might be tying for top-five placement right now.

When he's right, he can finish with either hand, score on the move, obliterate defenders at the rim, tickle the twine from range, make live-dribble deliveries and impact the defensive end on or off the ball.

Whitehead landed at Duke as a potential star-in-the-making. If he can put this foot problem behind him, he can still offer the same high-end upside.

Bleacher Report